


The Shadow Arts

by Merlin Missy (mtgat)



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: College, F/F, Magic, Misses Clause Challenge, Pre-Femslash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-12 16:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16875948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtgat/pseuds/Merlin%20Missy
Summary: Webby has a plan for her life, and a voice whispering in her ear.





	The Shadow Arts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IncurablePeppermint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncurablePeppermint/gifts).



Webby stared at the blank page on her computer screen. The college application asked her to describe the most interesting or challenging thing that had happened to her in an essay of five hundred to one thousand words. She'd put this part off, instead filling out forms asking her simpler questions. Not all the universities she was applying to had an essay portion. Several had sent her the same thick admissions envelopes that they'd sent the boys, without any of them applying to those programs at all: welcome to Quacker State/Vanderbill/Duck University/Mount Holysmokes/Ducknell, we are pleased to accept you to our college, Mr. McDuck should make the check out to the following account. (Louie was still angling three of the schools to see which one would give him a private suite with two bathrooms.)

Huey walked by her room carrying a stack of envelopes that reached almost to the top of his head. Grateful for the interruption, Webby asked, "Did the mail get here early today?"

"I hope not. These are my applications. I want to send them out today."

"Why today?"

"The early acceptance deadline is only two short weeks away." He balanced the envelopes on one arm and pulled out a long strip of paper from his pocket. "Do you need more stamps for yours? I have extra."

"No, mine are stamped fine, lots of stamps all over my completed applications, ha ha," she said. Huey gave her a look at the weak laugh, then shrugged.

"Okay. I'll save room in the mailbox for you!" He hurried along the hallway.

"Great!"

Webby turned back to the blank screen and sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. All around her bedroom, she saw souvenirs and mementoes from her adventures with Uncle Scrooge and the rest of their tacked-together family. The tackboard focused this week on the peculiar alignment of the egg monoliths of Stonehen to the giant stone rabbit heads on Easter Island. She had certificates of thanks from four world leaders framed on her wall, alongside mounted spears, a pirate scarf, and a sacred feather given to her by the mysterious Dodo. Her digital photo frame on her desk flashed between pictures of Dewey being eaten by a carnivorous flower; Webby returning the Ice Tiara to the Yeti King; Louie grabbing Huey for a selfie in front of the Temple of Dread (she could just make out the Temple Guardian in the background, frozen forever in stone after she'd decoded the spell to save them); Donald in a globed space helmet on the moon being hugged by his sister with the Earth a jewel behind them. 

She rested her face in her hands. "How do I decide what was the most interesting or challenging thing that ever happened to me?!"

"Make something up."

Webby turned and saw Dewey in the doorway. "What?"

"We lead super interesting lives. They're never going to know if you made up your trip to the Moon."

"We did go to the Moon."

"I know that, you know that."

"Everybody who was looking at the sky that night knows that."

"Sure," said Dewey. "Which is why you can write five hundred words about anything you want. Tell the cool story of how you watched Dewey the Dangerous fight off Shere Khan single-handedly!"

"You didn't fight Shere Khan. Donald did, then we dropped a basket on his head."

"Yeah, but the college essay people don't know that."

"Thanks, Dewey," she said, and turned back to her screen. He walked away, narrating his own adventures to himself. Webby sighed.

There was a tickle inside her brain. A little voice said, _"Write about magic."_

Huh. The Temple of Dread had been pretty magical. That would certainly get the attention of the college essay people. Webby started to type.

***

She'd always been told college was an adventure. That wasn't true. College was a lot more essays, and weird math, and book discussions. Her classmates went to parties on the weekends. Webby studied. Her roommate Cattison teased her about spending all her time working.

"I owe Uncle Scrooge," she said. "He's paying my tuition. If I get bad grades, I'm being ungrateful."

"Scrooge McDuck can afford for you to retake a few classes. Live a little, Webs!"

"I will. That's what break is for." She returned to her studying. She couldn't declare a major until the end of the year even though she'd already decided and was taking her early requirements now. A double major in Ancient Archaeology and Inadvisable Science would keep her busy for the next four years, and she was eyeing a minor in Obscure and Unpopular Religions which would require a course overload.

"You won't help anyone by stressing yourself out."

 _"She's right,"_ said the little voice in Webby's head. Webby shook herself. _"Don't burn yourself out before sophomore year."_

"Okay," she said reluctantly. Cattison punched the air and started telling Webby about the three parties going on this weekend that she knew about so far.

"We have to go to Drake's party," she said, already picking out clothes in Webby's side of the closet. "The coolest people will be there. You can't wear this. Or this. Or any of this." She went to her half of the closet. "You can borrow my dress, but you have to promise not to spill anything on it."

Webby chuckled nervously. "I'm not really a 'dress' kind of person." She'd worn a dress to the prom. Dewey had gone with his girlfriend, Huey had gone with his boyfriend, and Louie had gone alone to 'play the field' as he said. Webby had gone with some friends from school, not comfortable in the nice gown, not really interested in the whispering over who wore what. She did get a laugh at Louie trying to impress all the girls she was with and failing, and she did like the dancing with everyone together, but part of her had been sad for no reason she could name.

"How about this?" Cattison asked, pulling out a nice shirt for Webby to inspect. "You can wear it with anything."

 _"It's kind of cool,"_ said the voice in her head.

"Sure. Thanks."

The party went all right. She spent most of it holed up in one corner of the room with Beaky from her Intro to Old Digs class, talking about the places they'd been to. Cattison teased her about it later. "I guess he's cute in that Mark Beaks geek chic way."

Webby made a face. "Mark Beaks is the opposite of cute. Beaky's in my class. He spent his summer in the Lost City of Perro Grande." He'd been a little deflated after Webby mentioned Uncle Scrooge had found it years ago.

"But you like him?"

She shrugged. "I like talking about exploring."

_"That's not what she means."_

"Anyway," Webby said, "I'm beat. Lights out for me!"

She tossed and turned to get to sleep, and when she did, she dreamed about climbing the Escalator Pyramid in Perro Grande. Another adventurer climbed beside her, but it wasn't Beaky.

***

"Winter Break!" screamed Louie as he bounded into the mansion, lugging a semester's worth of dirty hoodies stuffed into suitcases and bags. Outside, Launchpad crashed the limo into the snow-covered fountain out front again. Webby's grammy took one look at Louie, and pointed with one finger towards the laundry room. Louie ignored her and shouted up the stairs, "Winter Break!"

Two matching voices floated down, one sliding down the bannister, one using the stairs. "Winter Break!" Webby watched, and delighted as she was pulled into the massive hug the brothers shared. It was the first time the three of them had been away from each other for so long. Although she'd lived here most of her life, it hadn't felt like home until the last wayward duck had arrived.

"I have a full itinerary planned," Huey said. "Day one, arrival, laundry, and catch up naps. Day two, visiting with Uncle Donald. Day three, winter sports if the weather allows, alternate plan, take a trip to Snow Peak Mountain for winter sports."

Dewey took the sheet from his hands. In a moment, he'd crumpled it into a ball and tossed it to Louie, who bounced it from shoulder to shoulder, with a surprise toss to Webby, who did a backflip to kick it to Dewey again, who tossed the schedule into the fireplace.

Huey glared at him. Then he pulled out a second sheet of paper from his pocket. "You know I printed out five of these because I knew you would do that, right?"

It was good to have everyone home. Webby didn't understand why she felt someone was still missing.

***

"But you have to come!" Dewey clasped his hands together pleading with her. "Mom's never been to Aaaaargrah Falls. Uncle Scrooge even agreed we could get a real hotel room this time."

"I wish I could," Webby said. "I've got three papers to work on."

"But it's Winter Break," Louie said. "You know, vacation? Sleeping? Eating too much? Classes don't even start back until next year."

"I'm taking two interim period classes online during the break. I want to knock out the classroom pre-reqs for my Spikes and Smells labs next semester."

Louie waved his hand. "Just take the Spells course, class and lab combined."

Huey said, "That's not a real class. You know that, right?" Louie shrugged.

_"You'd need a different school to take that. There's some study abroad options you should explore."_

"I'm really busy," Webby said. "You go have fun. Text me lots of pictures."

***

She applied for the study abroad program during her junior year. Vladstone University in Transylvania offered classes that combined Webby's chemistry course requirement with her ancient religions course requirement. They were all night classes, starting at sundown, which left her days free to work on more long-distance coursework for her archaeology classes.

The boys came for a surprise visit a month into her stay. "Uncle Scrooge says this is the home of one of his old adversaries," said Huey. "They only converted it to a school five years ago."

"I know," Webby said. "I've found four secret passages so far. Want to go see?"

Together, they found another two passages, accidentally summoned a ghost, and found the ingredients Webby needed to complete her wolfbane project. Not bad for a long weekend.

"That was like old times," Dewey said as he flumped down on the sleeping bag he'd brought. Their color-coded bags lined up together on the floor of her room. Webby liked her high-postered bed with the curtains around it, but she could do without the drafty fireplace and the large windows. Having her friends around made her feel better.

"Nah," said Louie, resting his head on his hands. "Old times would have included Uncle Donald accidentally setting the castle on fire."

Huey looked at the books on the bookshelf. "Do any of these look like latches to you? You might have another secret passageway." He consulted his phone, where he'd downloaded the Junior Woodchuck Guide for easier searching.

"They're not. I checked when I moved in."

Disappointed, Huey went to his sleeping bag.

 _"It's a full moon,"_ said the voice in Webby's head. _"You have to mix the wolfbane by full moonlight or the supernatant won't gel right later."_

"I'm tired," she said, pulling the pillow over her ear.

_"I know you're tired. But you've got work to do. Please, Webby."_

Yawning, she crawled out from her curtains and tiptoed over the sleeping boys to get her bag. The school didn't mind young women performing mad science experiments in their nightgowns, and in fact, the staff said it showed school spirit. Webby went to the rooftop lab and pulled out her equipment.

The teacher drifted closer. "Webigail, you don't attend this session."

"I know, Dr. vanGhoul. I need extra time on my project. Can I please sit in?"

Dr. vanGhoul smiled, showing more teeth than Webby had seen since she'd escaped from the sand pit of Bonobo. "I always like to see a student putting in extra effort. You may stay."

 _"Not much longer now,"_ said the voice, and helped Webby read off the ingredients for her potion.

***

The graduation party was in full swing for the three of them, Della and Donald taking turns as the Happy One and the Crying One and occasionally the Shouting One. Louie was unembarrassed about his "six year plan" moving along precisely as he'd intended, although he laughed uneasily when Uncle Scrooge informed him he'd paid for a four year plan and wouldn't put a nickle towards more. 

Louie wasn't the only one Scrooge had a word with. "Webigail, a moment in my study, please," he said into her ear, both of them still surprised that he had to reach up on his toes now instead of bending down. He might be effectively immortal. She had grown into a young woman.

Webby followed him away from the music and the food into the forbiddingly quiet sanctuary of Scrooge's private study. He sat down and indicated a chair for her to sit.

"I notice you achieved straight As for all but one class."

"That professor wouldn't believe me when I told him I'd already visited the ruins of Al Fredo and knew the story of the Great Pastini was false. He marked me off on the final exam." She was still mad. She'd shown him pictures and everything.

"If there's one last piece of advice I can give you while you still live under my roof, it is that everywhere you go, you'll meet people who doubt you. Don't ever let them make you doubt yourself."

She paid attention to his words. Sadness gripped her. "Are ... are you kicking me out now that I've graduated?"

He shook his head. "You know the rules of the house, lass. You can't break them any more than the boys can."

"But I haven't."

"You're about to." His face went dark. "I will not tolerate magic in my home."

Webby sank back into her chair. But he'd just told her: don't let anyone force her to doubt herself. She sat straight up again. "That's fair. You've always said. How did you know?"

Scrooge laughed. "Ancient Archaeology? Obscure Religions? You think I haven't known since the start?" At her hurt look, he faded into a smile. "I'm not angry with you, lass. I'm as proud as I can possibly be. You've excelled at your studies. Professor vanGhoul said you formulated the best potions he's seen in the last two hundred years because you worked hard at it." He emphasized the word 'worked' with his cane.

"I thought you'd be mad because you hate magic."

"I don't hate magic. I think it's often a cheap fix to a problem that can be better solved with hard work, hard thinking, or both. Magic is the lazy way out." He bent in. "But not for you. You've dedicated yourself to your studies like you dedicate yourself to everything you do. That may not find you a job when you're finished with your project, but it will mean you are ready for anything life throws at you."

_"He knew all along?"_

"You know about the project?"

"I do. I have a graduation present for you." He removed a small box from his pocket, unwrapped. Scrooge wouldn't pay for wrapping paper if he could help it. Webby took it from him and opened it.

Two lacy wings sat on a cotton ball.

She looked up at him. "Are these actual spider's wings?"

"Aye. I took them off a nasty beast in Didjabongoroo a few months ago."

The last component of the spell, the one she'd been researching for years, the one that would separate Lena from the shadow world and return her to life. All the books Webby had pored over, all the techniques she'd learned, incantations she'd memorized, and mysterious artifacts she'd uncovered, all had led to this. Eye of a needle, hair from a fish, feather from a dodo, and the wings of a spider, all mashed together with aged wolfbane tonic and four dragon tears, mixed widdershins with her left hand then allowed to steep one day. That was the first step of twelve. The dragon tears were in a vial she kept on a chain around her neck for safe keeping.

"You'll need a full moon, which isn't for another two weeks," he said. "I've got a laboratory set up for you at the slopes of Snow Peak Mountain. You can move your equipment there tomorrow."

Her eyes filled with big, hot tears. "Thank you."

***

The moon rose fat and white. The air was crisp this high up, not like the sultry heat in the city below, baking in an unusually warm June. Webby had mixed her ingredients, and she had used her specially-colored chalk to chart the circles, and every ten and three quarters minutes, she said the chant, the one she'd found in the Bone Tome at the foot of Creature Glacier.

She stood in the bright moonlight, casting her stark shadow upon the snow. She spoke the incantation once more, and finished with the capstone chant: "Shadows fall and life ascend!"

She flung the potion against the snow, where it splashed over her shadow.

There should have been fancy purple sparkles. Instead, her shadow contracted, and with a POP, Lena appeared on the snow. Webby's instincts kicked in. It was cold up here. Before she said a word, she immediately covered her friend with a warm blanket.

"Let's get inside," she said, shivering. Lena could barely walk, but Webby had trouble walking when she first woke up and Lena hadn't stretched her legs in years. They went inside the laboratory and Webby shut the door. Then she flung her arms around her friend's neck, forcing herself not to cry.

"It worked," Lena said with a rough voice. She coughed and cleared her throat. "It actually worked."

"I knew it would," Webby said proudly, even though she'd worried the whole time. The look Lena gave her said she'd heard every doubting thought Webby had ever entertained. Then she grinned.

"You were right."

"How are you older?" Webby asked. "You were a kid when you were turned into a shadow."

"Aunt Magica made me to be a kid like you to gain your trust. When I went away, I stayed with you. I lived inside your head. I guess I grew up with you."

Webby hugged her again. "I'm just glad you're finally back. We should get you some clothes that fit, and you're probably starving, and then we should go see the boys and Grammy and Uncle Scrooge. They'll be so happy to see you again."

She looked nervous. "Will they?"

"Yep. Because they'll see how happy I am, and they'll know it's because of you." They watched each other for a long moment. Webby's heart was full of a hundred different feelings, and as Lena finally settled into having a real mortal body again, her face reflected those same feelings back: relief, and joy, and something else that was a whole lot stronger.

"Then what?"

"Then anything. We can see the world if you want. Oh, or we can get an apartment together in Duckburg. I've always wanted an apartment. Maybe ours can have a balcony, and we can wave at our neighbors when they come out on their balconies and yell at them when they're too loud!" Webby sighed amidst her happy fantasy. "We can get up at midnight and eat all the sandwiches we want, then sleep in past noon. We don't have to be apart again. Unless you'd like to be apart for a while." She laughed nervously. "You've kind of been stuck beside me for a long time."

"There's no one I'd rather have been stuck beside."

"Me, either. I liked having you there, but I wanted to have you back so we can eat midnight sandwiches together. I call pastrami!"

One thing at a time," Lena said with a laugh. "Clothes sound like a great start. Then we can talk about food and everything else."

Webby hopped up, heading towards her room to get a sweater and some warm pants. Lena sat huddled under the blanket. "Webby?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Webby turned back to her and winked.


End file.
